[Singer]

I have an issue with my steering wheel.

 

The car rides perfectly strait, but the steering wheel is not centered, It was this way when I bought it.

 

I have changed the caster blocs, (not that I assumed it would matter to this issue)

 

The really strange thing is that the steering wheel seams to wander around center.

When the car runs strait the steering wheel can be any where in a 15 degree area around center.

there is no slack, I am not able to rotate the steering wheel over the lock to lock.

 

I suspeckt it happens then I am doing turns or corners, driving the car....

 

Does this make any sense, I am really puzzled?  

 

Peter

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Waylander]

Inner tie rod joints, outer tie rod ends, rack rubber mounts soaked in power steering fluid


Steering shaft universal joints


Could be lots of things combined to cause the problem

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Singer]

Inner tie rod joints, outer tie rod ends, rack rubber mounts soaked in power steering fluid



Steering shaft universal joints


Could be lots of things combined to cause the problem

 

 

 

Ohh, this could be it, I will look into this!

 

Thank You!

 

Best Peter

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Rap]

I have and am experiencing the power steering fluid leak on my track car. These vessels tend to crack, the o rings on the cap can also be a source for the leakage. Replacing the vessel has in the past worked for me and I am hoping I will experience the same thing for this weekends event at Thunderbolt.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[MCL968]

I replaced my rack bushings a couple of weeks ago and most of the wander is gone. The remainder is tramlining, which I think will be cured with a good alignment.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Waylander]

I replaced my rack bushings a couple of weeks ago and most of the wander is gone. The remainder is tramlining, which I think will be cured with a good alignment.

 

or asymetric pattern tyres tend to be a good fix for tramlining, directional patterns make it worse

 

we in the RHD community do not have rack rubber mounts, ours are all solid mounted no idea why.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Kim]

There are numerous posts here about this. A common problem is the rack itself "sliding" in the bushings that hold it to the cross member..  There is fix for it - i think that it is called a Delrin bushing.  I did this on my car and it cured the problem immediately.  I tried to find my original post and the tread that followed it but probably didn't look carefully enough. 

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Ryan]

I second the "rack bushings" as the culprit. I replaced mine. You can just replace one with the delrin and the other with a normal rubber and save some money. I was told this by the folks that sold me the bushings. Delrin is quite a bit more than rubber. The wandering center is what makes me think this is correct.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Singer]

This is SO helpfull! Thank you so much, I will follow up on my experience.


Peter

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Singer]

Where do I get the Delrin bushings?

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Peter B]

Related to alignment, The steering wheel can only attach to the steering rack in one position.  You can lock the steering rack into the straight position by using a 10mm bolt and a ball-bearing.  There's a good description of how to do this in the Clark's garage write-up.  The only difference is that there isn't a red dot.  On mine it was a dark depression.  

 

So here's the question, when a "proper alignment" is done, is the rack locked into this straight position so the steering wheel stays straight?  Is this kind of locking into a straight position more or less universal for steering racks and alignments?  

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Bulti]

There is a special bolt (special tool but cheap) that can be used to center and lock the steering rack. When locked, the allignment can be carried out. And last, if necessary, the steering wheel can be centered by taking it off and adjusting it one or more teeth.


The locking is to make sure the rack stays centered when adjusting stuff.


There are two kinds of bolts, indeed a 10 mm - ours and I believe a 13 mm (?) ask for the correct one!


Not all steering racks can be locked, some only have a center mark.


All workshops should go by this procedure, but I bet most are too lazy to take the wheel off and correct it by adjusting toe.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.

[Ryan]

 I got my bushings from Paragon Products. You can get both kinds there.

Partial Post: Please Login or Register to read the full post.